TRISTAN'S POV:I watched as Lucas stormed into the room, clearly irritated but keeping a lid on his temper. Right behind him was Nadia, the girl who shadowed him like a sidekick, and she gave me a polite nod. The same girl he'd supposedly picked over Raven. For some reason, she grated on my nerves.So, I told her, "You can go."She looked surprised, pointing at herself. "Me?""Yes," I replied, and she glanced at Lucas, probably expecting him to protest. But he had no clue about what I had in mind, so he stayed silent. She had no choice but to leave, her face showing clear resentment.Once she was out of the room, I turned my attention to Lucas, who had taken a seat across from me. I'd called this meeting to discuss Raven, as I couldn't take her away unless he relinquished his role as her alpha."Alpha King," he started, his eyes full of the usual challenge. "I didn't expect you to initiate this meeting. But it's perfect timing since I have things to discuss with you, too.""Alright, I
RAVEN’S POV:I sat on a pavement by the black sleek car parked in front of the pack house garage, waiting for us to depart with Tristan's beta, by the driver's door, checking his wristwatch from time to time. We were both waiting for him to finish the necessary complementaries before we could be on our way to his pack. It was rather awkward for me to stand there with pack members walking by and staring at me from time to time like a movie as they whispered to themselves. I'm sure rumours must have spread around the pack about me leaving, so it was not that surprising. But I still couldn't help but feel strange.Just then, I sighted Theo and Layla approaching me from a distance, and I stood up to meet up with them. I hadn't seen Layla for a very long time, and when we approached one another, she immediately embraced me."Raven..." She gushed with a smile on her face. "How have you been? Sorry I didn't come by. I had some things to tend to at home."Theo had told me the other day, so I
RAVEN’S POV:As the car pulled out of the driveway onto the street, I couldn't help but turn my head around to look behind me. It felt odd; I had only left the pack once, and that was the first day I met Tristan, but it was different from this. I was really leaving the pack completely.I had mixed feelings. Although I was not particularly sad as the only people I would miss were Theo and Layla, I still felt strange. This was the same pack I grew in, where I lived my whole childhood from the happy moments before my parents were branded as traitors, till I became an omega slave. Most of my memories were awful, but as I watched the huge pack house building fade away from my sight, it felt surreal.Tristan probably noticed the change in my mood and looked at me, probing, "Do you want to stay?"His question brought me back to my senses, and I quickly looked away, keeping my emotions in check. How could I feel odd about leaving such a place that gave me so many bad memories? Now that I had
LUCAS'S POV:I was seated behind my office desk, going through the reports that have gradually piled up since I was too busy attending to the guests. While I read, there was a sudden knock on the door, and I heard Rolf salute from the other side of the door."Alpha." He saluted."Come in," I ordered, not bothering to look up at him.The door soon opened, and he entered, closing the door behind me. That sound made me stop reading for a moment as I looked up at him."I'm here to report my findings to you, "Alpha," he quickly told me.I didn't expect him to find out anything after Tristan had taken Raven with him. After all, he couldn't even find out anything substantial while they were still in my territory. But I was still curious anyway, so I gave a small nod for him to tell me all he knew.He quickly began to reiterate, "Alpha, I found out that four days ago, Raven went into human territory.""Human territory?" I asked, sharply, genuinely surprised. "How is that possible? No one is a
RAVEN’S POV:The dinner went by without any drama, and most people left before I finished eating, making it easy for me to clear my plate. As I carried the tray, one of the servants approached me."Please leave the plates here. They'll be cleared soon," she said.I was slightly surprised, as in my pack, it was customary for servants like us to clear dishes after meals. I felt out of place, not being treated like an omega. I nodded and left the tray on the table.Walking around this unfamiliar place was strange. I didn't recognize anyone, and Tristan hadn't appeared since my morning arrival. As I was on my way, I ran into the butler again."Erm... Mr. Reiner," I called out, unsure of what to call him.He stopped and greeted me, "Miss Raven, how may I help you?"I was surprised that he knew my name, but I didn't ask and instead quickly asked him about Tristan's whereabouts."Well, I... I wanted to ask if you know where Tristan is and if I can see him," I mumbled.Butler Reiner seemed un
In a dimly lit office, elegantly furnished with opulent décor, Tristan sat behind a massive mahogany desk. The desk was a model of meticulous organization, with neatly stacked cash beside antique brass candleholders. On the wall behind him, a large framed city map adorned the room.Draped in an impeccably tailored black suit and pants, Tristan exuded an aura of cold ruthlessness, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. His steel-gray eyes fixated on the city map as he marked out key points with a pen.A sudden knock on the door made him look up, his gaze directed at the entrance. "Come in."The door swung open, revealing Ethan at the threshold. For a moment, their eyes met, and Ethan's expression shifted noticeably. He appeared surprised and taken aback, though it was but a fleeting moment before he regained his composure."We've got an emergency," he began, approaching Tristan.Tristan paused, returning the pen to its holder, and his fingers lightly drummed on the desk as he probed,
"Ha..." Tristan suddenly laughed, his cold voice echoing through the walls. "Well, I've got no reason to keep you alive then."Like a blur, he suddenly pulled out the gun plugged to his belt and pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced through the man's forehead, and his corpse fell to the ground, blood splashing all over the place. Tristan reached out to wipe the blood that had splashed on his shirt with distaste. Then, he gazed at the man's corpse, which now lay on the ground, unmoving, his widened eyes a testament that he wasn't prepared for it.A hushed silence fell over the dock as the other captives instantly began to panic and scream through the tape. Tristan's men didn't seem affected, but Ethan looked his way, his brows creasing. However, it wasn't the shooting that made him bothered.Tristan returned his gaze to the rest of the people tied up. "Like I said, I don't want us to stress one another. You give me what I want, and I may choose to pardon you." Then, he paused, twirlin
RAVEN’S POV:There was a knock on the door, jolting me awake from my deep sleep. I rubbed my eyes drowsily as my gaze reached for the wall clock across the room. It was still noon.I quickly scrambled out of the bed and turned the doorknob, opening the door. It was a young lady dressed in a servant uniform with two bags in her hands. When she saw me, she immediately bowed respectfully. "Hello, Miss. I'm here to clock in for the day. I'm your newly assigned maid."I stared at her as her auburn-colored pigtails bounced when she bowed. I was still stunned by what she said, so I muttered, "Maid? I don't need a maid."She quickly straightened up, looking at me as though she couldn't understand why I was saying so. But still, she put on a forced smile and repeated, "My name is Lena. I'm your assigned maid. You can call on me if you need anything."I wanted to argue and tell her I didn't need one. But on second thoughts, I realized it could have been the butler or Bethany who assigned her to
AUTHOR'S POV:"Congratulations, Miss Raven. You're three months pregnant," Dr. Foster announced with a warm smile, his eyes reflecting genuine joy. The test results were on top of his desk as he closed the papers.Raven blinked, disbelief etched across her face. "Pregnant? But... how?" she stammered, her mind still catching up. It felt like the walls were suddenly closing in on her.The doctor chuckled. "Well, it seems you fainted earlier because of more than just fatigue. You're going to be a mother." He handed her the test result, and Raven's trembling hands took hold of it.She sat there for a couple of seconds, trying to process the situation. She had fainted at the office earlier that day, so she came to the hospital, but surely, she was not expecting to be told she was pregnant."Thank you, Doctor," she managed to utter, her thoughts racing. As she exited the office, the weight of the news sank in, leaving her stunned.As she walked along the hospital hallway, she ran into Larson
TRISTAN’S POV:I stared at the screen, my eyes glued to the footage Ethan had managed to salvage from the hotel's security system. Frustration simmered within me as I realized there was a critical gap – the moment Seraphine supposedly plunged into the water was missing. Deleted. Gone."Can't you retrieve that part?" I asked Ethan, my voice tight with worry.Ethan sighed, shoulders slumping. "I went to Jasper's place, watched him try, but even he couldn't get it back. It's like it vanished."Disturbed, I knew that missing piece was vital to proving Raven's innocence. No matter how fiercely I could protect her, I couldn't let a stain tarnish her reputation. I pondered the options – interrogate Seraphine, force a confession, but the risks loomed large. Accusations of me using my power to bully could tarnish my position without solid proof. Not to mention, it would affect Raven - they'd accuse her of messing with my head."We need that footage, Ethan. Find a way," I urged, worry coursing
RAVEN'S POV:An uneasy vibe buzzed in me as Tristan and I shuffled down the hospital hallway. Seraphine supposedly woke up, but it still felt surreal. What happened still feels like a dream to me, and I was unable to come to terms that she had almost died.When we reached the door of the VIP ward she was staying in, a crowd awaited – her family. I didn't realize she had so many relatives, and even Tristan's mom, Luna BlackClaw, was there.The moment we appeared, all gazes fell on us, especially me. Their glares screamed judgment, but I held my cool, knowing I didn't do what they accused.Probably sensing my unease, Tristan held my palm and rubbed it, an attempt to reassure me, so I shot him a forced smile, not wanting him to worry.Luna BlackClaw jumped on me first, fuming, "How dare you show your face here?"She looked very furious, and if one didn't know, they'd think Seraphine was her daughter. I would have been intimidated, but the conviction that I did nothing wrong made me meet
Raven’s POV:I held a glass of wine as I looked around the hall. I was attending Madison's engagement ceremony, and there weren't a lot of people in attendance, as the marriage was not aristocratic, and there were a lot of gossip about them in the pack. Not to mention, it was no news that her father wanted her to marry a richer and well-known man, not her mate. They were all everybody was talking about and giving their two cents of advice on like they knew it all.But as I stared at Madison's figure walking around the entire hall arm in arm with her mate, Christian, I could tell she was happy with the man she ended up with. And I was happy for her because it meant that not all mates were assholes, and they complemented one another well.However, as I saw Madison approaching me with Christian, I placed the wine glass in my hand on the table some distance from me. I didn't want to toast her and have to drink the wine.Firstly, because I had promised Tristan that even though he wasn't th
TRISTAN’S POV:I smiled, seeing the sheer fear and shame that ran through their spines upon seeing me. "Isn't it rude to start a meeting without me, the main topic of the so-called abdication?"As I spoke, I strolled to my seat and settled down. Lucas frowned, but he was soon back to being haughty. That made me frown at his closed-mindedness - how could he be foolish enough to rely only on one piece of evidence that wasn't conclusive enough?"Which rule of the council talks about members not holding a meeting behind the Alpha King?" I questioned as I tapped on the table, intending to drag it out and give them chills."Ru...rule 15," one of them managed to speak while the rest of them frowned, but they all seemed to have regained their composure.I was about to respond when Lucas coldly snorted, "That doesn't include an abdication gathering in the case of a bad Alpha King."That made me perk up, and my gaze found his. "Oh really? How bad of a King am I that you all respectable Alphas w
Lucas paced back and forth in his dimly lit study, a sense of urgency in his voice as he spoke into his phone. "Make sure the meeting room is ready, and no one should tip off Tristan. We can't afford any slip-ups," he ordered.The door swung open abruptly, and Nadia stood there, a hand on her now heavily pregnant stomach. Anger flashed in Lucas's eyes, but he held back his initial impulse to shout at her for barging in. Instead, he ended the call, turning his attention to Nadia. "What are you doing here?" he inquired, attempting to keep his tone steady.Nadia, however, was not in the mood for pleasantries. She stormed toward Lucas, pushing him in the chest. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, frustration evident in her voice.Perplexed, Lucas responded, "What do you mean?"Without wasting a moment, Nadia thrust photos into his face. "Someone saw you with another woman last night. They're spreading rumors about us," she accused, her eyes ablaze.Lucas glanced at the picture
AUTHOR'S POV;Tristan diligently sorted through the crates in the pack house, the rhythmic hum of activity disrupted as Ethan approached. "Someone's looking for you, Tristan," Ethan said, a frown creasing his brow.Tristan raised an eyebrow, setting down a box. "You know pack members aren't supposed to disturb me at work. Who is it?"Ethan hesitated, then leaned in, voice low. "Alpha Odette."Tristan's surprise flashed across his face. "Alpha Odette? What does she want?"Ethan shrugged, a wary expression in his eyes. "I don't know, but be careful. She's always scheming."A wry smile played on Tristan's lips. "You've never liked her, have you?" Not that he was fond of her either, but he happened to help her three months back to deal with a rogue issue when his investigations led him to her pack, and he realized she was just always scheming and plotting, but her personality wasn't all that bad.Ethan scowled. "And you shouldn't either. Just be cautious."Tristan chuckled, waving Ethan o
RAVEN’S POV:I lay in his arms as he tousled my hair playfully. He didn't go back to the pack office to work, and we just lay together in silence in his room."She just came in like that, and I thought she was a pack member at first," he explained, looking at me, and I couldn't help but smile at how he seemed to forget she was also a pack member."She is a pack member," I corrected, and he only muttered, "Oh.""You're too cold," I couldn't help telling him. He always avoided her, and even before what happened tonight, his stepmother had been trying all sorts of means to push them together, causing further ruin to their relationship.But he was unbothered, unlike me, as he shrugged. "I've always been this way. No need to pay attention to irrelevant people."I chuckled at this, half worried I was ruining his relationship with other people but also pleased that he was avoiding having anything to do with his ex.Just then, he sat up and leaned to get something out of his bedside drawer. I
Tristan's fingers danced across the keyboard in the dimly lit pack house office, the hum soft in the background. Suddenly, the tranquil air shattered as the thunderous noise of running feet echoed from the nearby field. He sighed, his attention disrupted by the unwelcome commotion, reaffirming his disdain for working in the pack house office.Just then, a soft chime emanated from his phone, a welcome distraction. Raven's message illuminated the screen, and a grin replaced Tristan's earlier frown. "How's your headache?" she inquired, a simple yet thoughtful question that melted away his lingering discomfort.His thumbs swiftly responded, typing out his improved condition. As he hit send, an unexpected knock echoed through the room."Come in," he muttered, granting entry to the interrupter, anticipating a curious pack member who had heard he was around and wanted to bother him with something basic.However, when the door swung open, revealing Seraphine in a provocative black dress, Tris